Privacy · 10 min read · June 1, 2026 · IPLocatorTools

How to Change Your IP Address on Any Device (All Methods)

Need a different IP address? Here are all the proven methods to change it on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, and your router — with exact step-by-step instructions.

There are several legitimate reasons to want a different IP address: bypassing an IP ban, resolving a network conflict, protecting your privacy, testing how your website appears from a different location, or simply wanting a fresh network identity. The right method depends on whether you want to change your public IP (visible to websites) or your private IP (used on your local network), and which device you are using.

Before diving in, it helps to understand which IP you actually want to change. Check your current public IP at IPLocatorTools — that is the address websites see. Your private IP (something like 192.168.1.5) is only used within your home network.

Understanding Public vs Private IP

Public IP address — Assigned by your ISP, visible to every website and server you connect to. This is what most people want to change. All your home devices share one public IP. You can see yours at IPLocatorTools.

Private IP address — Assigned by your router to each device on your local network. Only relevant within your home network. Changing your private IP does not change how websites see you.

Not sure about the difference? Read: static vs dynamic IP addresses →

Method 1: Restart Your Router (Easiest, Free)

Most home internet connections use dynamic IP addresses — your ISP assigns an IP from their pool, and it may change when your router disconnects and reconnects.

Steps:

1. Note your current IP at IPLocatorTools
2. Unplug your router's power cable from the wall
3. Wait at least 5 minutes (10 minutes is better, overnight is most effective)
4. Plug the router back in and wait for it to fully reconnect
5. Check your IP at IPLocatorTools again

If the IP did not change: Your ISP is using a sticky DHCP assignment — they tend to give the same IP back to the same router hardware. Try leaving the router unplugged overnight. If it still does not change, your ISP may have given you a static IP, or you need a different method.

Success rate: Works immediately for most home connections. Varies by ISP.

Method 2: Use a VPN (Most Reliable, Works Everywhere)

A VPN is the most reliable way to change your apparent IP address. When you connect to a VPN server, all your traffic exits through the VPN server's IP address — websites see that IP, not yours. You can choose a server in any country the VPN provider supports.

Steps:

1. Choose a reputable VPN provider — ProtonVPN (free tier available), Mullvad ($5/month), or ExpressVPN
2. Download and install the VPN app for your device
3. Open the app and select a server location
4. Click Connect
5. Verify your new IP at IPLocatorTools — it should show the VPN server's location

Why VPN is the best method:

• Works instantly and reliably on every device
• Works every time, regardless of your ISP's assignment behaviour
• Lets you choose any country or city
• Also encrypts your traffic for added privacy
• Works on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, Linux, and routers

Complete guide: How to hide your IP address → Complete guide: What is a VPN and how does it work? →

Method 3: Use Mobile Data (Instant IP Change on Phone)

If you are on your phone and want a quick IP change, switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data (4G/5G) gives you a completely different IP address assigned by your mobile carrier. Your home broadband IP and your mobile data IP come from entirely different IP blocks.

Steps:

1. On your phone, disable Wi-Fi in Settings
2. Enable mobile data
3. Check your new IP at IPLocatorTools

Limitation: Only works on mobile devices. Does not provide privacy — your mobile carrier still knows your identity. Useful only for a quick, temporary IP change.

Method 4: Use a Proxy (Browser Only)

A proxy server routes your browser traffic through an intermediary server, making websites see the proxy's IP instead of yours. Unlike a VPN, this only covers your browser — not other apps.

Complete guide: What is a proxy server? →

In Chrome:

1. Settings → System → Open your computer's proxy settings
2. Or install a proxy extension like FoxyProxy

In Firefox:

1. Settings → General → Network Settings → Manual proxy configuration
2. Enter the proxy server's address and port

Warning about free proxies: Most free proxy lists are operated by unknown parties who log your traffic. Do not use free proxies for anything involving passwords or sensitive data.

How to Change Your Private IP on Windows

Your private IP is assigned by your router via DHCP. To get a new one:

Method A — Release and renew (get a new automatic private IP):

1. Press Windows + R, type cmd, click Run as administrator
2. Type ipconfig /release and press Enter — releases your current private IP
3. Type ipconfig /renew and press Enter — requests a new IP from your router
4. Type ipconfig to see your new private IP address

Method B — Set a specific static private IP:

1. Open Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet)
2. Click your active connection → Edit (or Properties)
3. Change "Automatic (DHCP)" to "Manual"
4. Enter:
   • IP address: 192.168.1.100 (or any unused address in your router's range)
   • Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
   • Default gateway: your router's IP (usually 192.168.1.1)
   • DNS: 8.8.8.8 (Google) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare)
5. Save

How to Change Your Private IP on Mac

Method A — Renew DHCP lease (get a new automatic private IP):

1. System Settings → Network → select your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
2. Click Details
3. Click the TCP/IP tab
4. Click "Renew DHCP Lease"

Method B — Set a specific static private IP:

1. System Settings → Network → select your connection → Details → TCP/IP tab
2. Change "Configure IPv4" from "Using DHCP" to "Manually"
3. Enter your desired IP address, subnet mask (255.255.255.0), and router IP
4. Click OK and Apply

How to Change Your Private IP on iPhone

Renew DHCP lease or set static IP:

1. Settings → Wi-Fi → tap the (ℹ) icon next to your connected network
2. Scroll down to the IPv4 Address section
3. Tap "Configure IP"
4. Select Automatic to renew via DHCP
5. Or select Manual and enter a specific IP address, subnet mask, and router address

How to Change Your Private IP on Android

Note: steps vary slightly between Android manufacturers (Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, etc.)

1. Settings → Wi-Fi → tap and hold your connected network → Modify network
2. Tap "Advanced options" or the pencil/edit icon
3. Change "IP settings" from DHCP to Static
4. Enter your desired IP address, gateway (router IP), and DNS servers
5. Save

To simply renew your DHCP lease on Android, "forget" the Wi-Fi network and reconnect — this triggers a new DHCP request and usually assigns a fresh private IP.

How to Change Your IP on Your Router

Your router's admin panel gives you the most control over IP settings.

To renew your public IP (request a new one from your ISP):

1. Open a browser and go to 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 (your router's default gateway)
2. Log in with your router's admin credentials (often printed on a sticker on the router)
3. Find "WAN Settings", "Internet", or "Connection Status"
4. Look for "Release" and "Renew" buttons for your WAN IP
5. Click Release, wait a minute, then click Renew

To change the private IP range your router assigns:

1. In your router admin panel, find "LAN Settings" or "DHCP Settings"
2. You can change your router's own LAN IP (e.g., from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.0.1)
3. You can also adjust the DHCP range of addresses your router assigns to devices

How to Verify Your IP Changed

After any of these methods, visit IPLocatorTools to confirm:

1. IP address — Confirm it is different from your previous IP
2. Location — If using a VPN, confirm it shows the VPN server's location
3. ISP — If using a VPN, confirm it shows the VPN provider's name, not your actual ISP

If your IP has not changed after restarting your router, the most likely explanation is that your ISP uses sticky DHCP assignments. Try the VPN method for a guaranteed IP change.

Will Changing Your IP Unban You?

From a game or online service: Often yes. Most IP bans work by blocking a specific IP address. A new IP bypasses this.

Important caveats:

• Many platforms combine IP bans with account bans, cookie tracking, and device fingerprinting. Simply changing your IP while using the same account or browser profile may not be sufficient.
• If you were banned for violating terms of service, continuing to use the service with a new IP may violate those terms further.
• Create a completely new account, use a private browsing profile, and clear cookies if you need a completely fresh start.

Special Case: Changing IP in a VPN

If you are already using a VPN and want to change the IP the VPN is giving you, simply:

1. Disconnect from your current VPN server
2. Connect to a different server (different city or country)
3. Your new IP is the IP of the new server

Most VPN apps let you switch servers with one click. Each server has a different IP address.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for my IP to change after restarting the router? Usually immediately — within 1–2 minutes of the router fully reconnecting. Some ISPs take up to 5 minutes to assign a new IP. Check IPLocatorTools after the router fully reconnects.

My IP still shows as the same after restarting — why? Your ISP likely uses sticky DHCP, where the same IP is preferentially assigned back to the same router hardware (identified by its MAC address). Try leaving it unplugged for several hours or overnight. Alternatively, use a VPN for a guaranteed IP change.

Can changing my IP stop a DDoS attack? Yes. If someone is flooding your IP address with traffic (a DDoS attack), getting a new IP address means the attack traffic is going to the wrong address. The attacker would need to discover your new IP to continue the attack. Read more about IP security risks →

Does changing my IP address change my location? Your actual location does not change. Your apparent location as seen by websites changes only if the new IP is registered to a different geographic area (e.g., using a VPN server in another country). Your ISP's IPs are all registered to your ISP's region.

Can I get a specific IP address that I want? Only if your ISP offers dedicated static IPs as an add-on. You cannot choose an arbitrary IP from a dynamic pool. With a VPN, you can choose the city or country of the server (and thus the general IP range), but not a specific IP.

Related Tools

Check your current IP address at IPLocatorTools before and after any IP change method to verify it worked. Use the IP Blacklist Checker to verify your new IP is not on spam blacklists — this is important if you are using the IP for email or server hosting. Use Domain Tools to check reverse DNS for your IP.